Ralph and Repatriation Commission (Veterans' entitlements)

The Administrative Appeals Tribunal considered the appeal of an applicant concerning his claims for post-traumatic stress disorder (PTSD) and ischaemic heart disease (IHD) under the *Veterans' Entitlements Act 1986* (Cth). The applicant sought to establish that a specific incident, an overboard accident during naval service, constituted a category 1A stressor for PTSD and that his PTSD and IHD were causally related to his defence service.

The primary legal issues before the Tribunal were whether the applicant suffered from PTSD and, if so, whether there was a causal connection between his defence service and both his PTSD and his IHD. The applicant relied on specific factors within Statements of Principles (SOPs) for PTSD and IHD, asserting that the overboard incident met the criteria for a severe stressor and that he had a pre-existing mental health disorder. The Tribunal was required to assess the evidence, including conflicting accounts of the overboard incident, to determine if the applicant had discharged the onus of establishing reasonable satisfaction that his conditions were defence-caused.

The Tribunal found that there were significant discrepancies between the applicant's account of the overboard incident and that of a witness, Mr. Ellis. These discrepancies, along with other evidence, led the Tribunal to conclude that the applicant had not established that he suffered from PTSD. Furthermore, even if the applicant had been diagnosed with PTSD, the Tribunal determined that the evidence did not establish a causal relationship between the overboard incident and his claimed conditions, nor between his defence service and his IHD. Consequently, the Tribunal affirmed the decision under review.